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oct 03 2026The Spurs had the Finals in their grasp and let it slip away. They led by double digits in all five games against the Knicks yet lost the series 4-1, with three defeats by four points or fewer, two by just one point. That lesson is the starting point for a team that in October no longer presents itself as a project. It presents itself as a contender.
Where They're Coming From: Rebuild to June
The 2025-26 season was the definitive breakthrough. San Antonio finished the regular season 62-20, second in the West, surpassed 60 wins for the first time since 2017, and completed a winless February. In the playoffs, they climbed stages they hadn't reached in nearly a decade. They eliminated Portland in five games, winning their first series since 2017, and Minnesota in six. In the Western Conference Finals, they toppled defending champion Oklahoma City in seven, with Wembanyama earning Finals MVP honors.
The Finals left a bitter taste. The Spurs lost the first two games at home 105-95 and 105-104. They won the third at Madison Square Garden (111-115), snapping a 13-game playoff winning streak by the Knicks. Then they let slip the fourth by one point after leading by 29, and the fifth at home 94-90. The consensus in San Antonio is unanimous: there was plenty of talent; they lacked the ability to close out games.
The Offseason: Wembanyama Signs and Harris Arrives
The most important move of the summer wasn't a signing but a contract extension. Wembanyama, unanimous Defensive Player of the Year, MVP finalist, and All-NBA selection, renewed for five seasons through 2031-32. It's the largest contract in franchise history, exceeding $250 million if he exercises the final-year option. According to ESPN, the Frenchman accepted less than he could have earned, over $300 million, to create salary-cap flexibility for the young roster behind him.
With that same logic, avoiding long-term commitments and planning for Castle's second contract in 2028, the front office shaped the rest of the offseason. Tobias Harris arrives on a two-year, $31 million deal—the full mid-level exception—to fill the starting power forward spot. He averaged 13.3 points and 5.1 rebounds for the Pistons, who won the East. Julian Champagnie also re-signed for three years and $45 million, and Harrison Barnes for one year and $8 million.
From the draft come two young bigs to develop, Jayden Quaintance and Tarris Reed Jr., plus Ja'Kobi Gillespie and Maliq Brown. Departing are Bismack Biyombo, Kelly Olynyk, Mason Plumlee, and Lindy Waters III. The most notable addition, however, sits on the bench. Billy Donovan, fresh off his stint with the Bulls, arrives as an assistant to head coach Mitch Johnson with the mandate to add fluidity to the offense.
The Rotation
Wembanyama is the axis around which everything revolves. He averaged 25.0 points, 11.5 rebounds, and 3.1 blocks in 64 games, playing just 29.2 minutes per night. Alongside him, De'Aaron Fox contributed 18.6 points and 6.2 assists, and Stephon Castle 16.7 points, 7.4 assists, and 5.3 rebounds. Castle was the player across the entire league who increased his assist rate the most from one season to the next, and the connection to Wembanyama is already the team's most productive pairing.
The expected starting five is completed by Devin Vassell and Harris, though depth is the Texans' greatest virtue. Dylan Harper, who went from 11.8 points as a rookie to 14.1 in the playoffs and was at times the most reliable performer in the Finals, projects as the sixth man with upside for more. Behind him await Champagnie, Keldon Johnson, Barnes, and Carter Bryant.
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The Season's Big Questions
The first is the one June left behind: Can they close out games? A Spurs team with so much youth in key positions lost three tight Finals to a battle-tested rival, and the arrivals of Harris and Donovan directly address that. The second is the backup center. San Antonio managed Wembanyama's minutes during the regular season and will do so again, and Luke Kornet, the natural backup, struggled in the Finals. NBA.com suggests Reed could compete for those minutes.
The third is Wembanyama himself. San Antonio insists he's returned with a different mentality after the loss, and this summer he gathered several teammates in Paris to work on his post game. If he adds a more potent back-to-basket attack to the defense he already dominates the league with, the Spurs will have a weapon few can match.
The Schedule: Key Dates
The season opens with an immediate test. On October 20, the Spurs host the Thunder in a rematch of the Western Finals (3:30 a.m. Wednesday, October 21, CET). On October 31, they face the revamped Timberwolves, with a French duel between Wembanyama and Gobert. On December 25, the Finals rematch arrives at Madison Square Garden.
On February 28, the matchup with Jokic and the Nuggets opens a back-to-back. On March 21, in Philadelphia against Embiid, begins the toughest stretch of the schedule: four road games continuing in Indiana, Boston, and Detroit.
Piratas' Forecast
The Spurs have the best combination in the league between ceiling and room for improvement. The core is young and has already played in a Finals, Wembanyama is at his peak, and the roster is built for several years. The West remains brutally competitive, with Oklahoma City as the main rival. Our prediction: between 58 and 62 wins, a fight for first place in the West, and a return to the Finals as a very realistic objective.
